U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe and U.S. Senator Susan Collins today announced that the Maine Department of Human Services has been awarded $2,175,388 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the Hospital Preparedness grant program. The funding will be used primarily for bioterrorism and other public health emergency training.
“This preparedness grant funding is encouraging news for Maine hospitals,” noted Senators Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. “This funding will provide help ensure that our Maine hospitals are strongly prepared for a major public health emergency.”
The Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) enhances the ability of hospitals and health care systems to prepare for and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. Current program priority areas include interoperable communication systems, bed tracking, personnel management, fatality management planning and hospital evacuation planning. During the past five years HPP funds have also improved bed and personnel surge capacity, decontamination capabilities, isolation capacity, pharmaceutical supplies, training, education, drills and exercises.
###